This invention relates to reformed gas generators in general and more particularly to an improved starting device for a reformed gas generator.
Reformed gas generators in which atomized or evaporated liquid, hydrocarbon containing fuel is catalytically reacted with a gas containing oxygen at elevated temperature to form a fuel gas, particularly for the operation of internal combustion engines are known.
Reformed gas generators can be used for instance, for catalytically converting hydrocarbon containing liquid fuels into a fuel gas that is better suited for the operation of internal combustion engines than the liquid fuel itself. For, in internal combustion engines supplied with liquid fuel, the incomplete evaporation of the fuel and the nonuniform mixing with combustion air lead to incomplete combustion and to the emission of harmful substances. Furthermore, antiknock agents must as a rule be admixed to the fuel, resulting in the content of substances injurious to health in the exhaust gas being further increased. The objectionable pollution of the air which is thus produced can largely be avoided if the internal combustion engines are operated with fuel gas i.e. reformed gas.
In a reformed gas generator the hydrocarbons are converted into a fuel gas by partial catalytic oxidation with a gas containing oxygen. The fuel gas can be mixed with further combustion air and can be burned in combustion devices, particularly in internal combustion engines. Since this fuel gas has a high octane number, an addition of antiknock agents to the liquid fuel is not required.
In order to bring such a catalytic generator into operation, the catalysts must be heated up to the required operating temperature. This can be accomplished, for instance, by igniting the fuel and the air in a combustion chamber located in front of the reaction chamber and conducting the hot combustion gases produced in the process through the reaction chamber of the reformed gas generator to heat up the catalysts.
A starting device of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,423. The disclosed device contains a first fuel injection nozzle, an air supply line, a flame dish arranged in the spray cone of the first injection nozzle, and an ignition device for igniting the atomized fuel which is collected in the flame dish. A second fuel injection nozzle which is directed toward a burner plate system with a narrow side extending up to the housing and which consists of at least one perforated sintered block containing a catlyst is also provided. The interior of the starting device is adapted for connection to the inlet of the reformed gas generator. During starting, fuel is first sprayed from the first fuel injection nozzle into the flame dish and is ignited there. The hot combustion gases are conducted over the burner plate system and subsequently, into the reformed gas generator. When the catalytic burner plate system is heated to a sufficiently high temperature, the first fuel injection nozzle is switched off and fuel is supplied directly to the burner plate system from the second fuel injection nozzle. The flame in the flame dish is then extinguished. Fuel and air can at this time be converted at the burner plate system understoichiometrically into a hot reformed gas, which can be conducted into the reaction chamber of the reformed gas generator and subsequently fed to the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine. This hot fuel gas, which is generated at the catalyst of the starting device acts to both heat up the catalysts of the reformed gas generator itself, and for operating the internal combustion engine when idling.
This known starting device, however, is of a relatively expensive design and has a considerable overall volume. There is furthermore, the danger that the temperature sensitive catalysts of the burner plate system will be damaged by the hot combustion gases of the flame burning in the flame dish.